by Sara Fields
My needy little pussy was going to have to wait because we had to focus on the dangers at hand. We needed to deal with the Cult.
“We have to find out who the Acolyte is and deal with him,” I whispered.
“I know we do,” he answered. “We’ll do it together.”
“I’ll keep watch from within the walls,” I said softly.
He was silent for a long moment before he slid his hands down my shoulders, squeezing them tight before he leveled his gaze with mine.
“After this is all over, my love, I’m going to take you to that meadow like I had planned to today and remind you that I will forever be your alpha,” he purred, and I whimpered softly in anticipation.
“I’m looking forward to it, Alpha,” I whispered, swallowing heavily as I tried to figure out what that might mean.
“Me too, my sweet sigma.”
I could feel his reluctance as he pulled away from me, but we didn’t have any other choice. He brushed his hand against my cheek before he finally turned away and walked out the door. I waited several long moments before I followed and slipped inside the secret passages of the castle, watching over him from the safety of the walls.
The Acolyte was a ticking time bomb. Either we died first or he did.
For the next several days, I observed the happenings in the castle tirelessly. I attended every meeting that Magnar went to, every dinner and every late night showing of power that included an incredible amount of alcohol and beautiful women dressed in nothing more than thin gauzy fabric. I watched them dance for him, but he didn’t give any of them a second glance because he only had eyes for me.
I scrutinized every man I could find for a limp, but either he wasn’t here or he knew how to cover it up enough so that it wasn’t noticeable in public. I could look for the mark on his hand, but from a distance I couldn’t see them well enough to distinguish a scar of any kind. The Acolyte’s brown eyes weren’t remarkable enough to set him apart either, but I looked for them anyway. I watched for it all.
Late one night, I noticed that there was a piece of fabric caught in the window of the bedroom chamber I’d first been confined to. I opened it and grabbed it before it flew away, noticing that there was a small piece of paper curled up into a tight roll expertly hidden along the hem.
The scarf was a sign. It was from my father and the Brotherhood.
I pressed my back against the wall and unfurled it.
Ariana,
With the rise of the red moon, turn your gaze to the north among the overgrown colors of wildflowers. I’m sending a gift fit only for the lips of the betrayer. See to it that it is delivered.
The Ghost
I turned to look up into the sky to see the tiny glittering lights of the stars. The moon hadn’t risen yet, but I knew it would soon by the slight scarlet hue on the horizon. I grabbed a dusky gray hooded cloak and slipped it over my shoulders before I rushed along the stone hallways until I closed in on the gardens. Tonight, the castle was mostly abandoned, much of the servants asleep in their beds, exhausted from preparations for the biggest event the city had seen since the day of Magnar’s crowning.
Erik and Magnar had planned a big dinner celebration with the people of Kingsworth to commemorate a big announcement. He’d been too exhausted to tell me much about it when he’d come to bed the past few nights, but I could guess that they’d come to terms on an alliance of pretty epic proportions.
I’d learned a bit about King Erik in the time since I’d first met him.
Erik was king of a city far to the north that was said to be at least four times the size of Kingsworth. There were rumors that the buildings were tall enough to scrape the sky. It was built into the side of the mountains, carved out of stone and rock.
The city had never been taken. Not once in the history of the world. It was said that Daneridge was impenetrable.
An alliance with him would put the Cult in a position of power that would be difficult to beat and it was up to Magnar to secure it.
It was critical that he did.
Quietly, I made my way through the gardens and pulled my hood up to hide the telltale color of my pale blonde hair. I turned my head and gazed to the north, wandering until I approached a hidden corner that appeared to be long forgotten. I found a small scrap of fabric tied to a door, made of the same cloth the scarf in my window had been. Carefully, I removed it before I turned the handle and cautiously walked through it. I stiffened when I saw a cloaked figure sitting silently on the other side.
His head turned and he pushed back the hood of his cloak once his eyes settled on me, revealing his identity at once.
Ivar.
Silvery blue eyes stared back at me. I could see the dark outline of his beard. This time it was well trimmed, which was different from how I remembered him last.
“Ariana,” he whispered. “It’s been a while.”
“It has, Ivar,” I whispered.
“When you were taken, we couldn’t save you,” he said quietly.
“I know. You weren’t meant to,” I replied gently.
He gazed at me with quiet understanding, nodding once before he cleared his throat.
He was a member of the Brotherhood, just like me. Before I’d been captured by the Cult, we’d worked together to rescue a child caught within their clutches. I hadn’t known if they’d been successful or not.
“Did everyone get out safely?” I asked. It was something I’d thought about occasionally since that day.
“Yes. Everyone escaped and with them, we rescued a fair number of the Cult’s omegas,” he answered.
“I’m really glad to hear that,” I said quietly. I didn’t tell him that the omega trade was still alive and well here in Kingsworth. He didn’t need to know that.
I watched him reach into a small bag at his waist. He pulled a heavy-looking object out and held it out for me to take.
Under nothing but the light of the moon, the golden goblet shone. It was covered in multicolored gemstones that glittered in the starlight. It was a gift that would be worthy of a king.
“It is our understanding that there is a member of the Cult that had become a problem for you. This goblet is a gift for the person. It has a false bottom. If you press the circular red stone hard enough, it will release whatever contents are hidden beneath,” he explained.
He didn’t elaborate any further, but I knew what he meant.
Whoever took a sip from this would wind up dead.
He passed me the leather bag and I hid the goblet safely inside it.
“Tell the Ghost that I send my gratitude,” I said softly.
“He already knows,” Ivar answered before he gazed off into the city.
“Have you been here long?” I asked as I leaned against the rock wall.
“I have. I’ve been watching you from the safety of the walls for some time. The Ghost wanted to ensure your safety. Your position is precarious, and he wants to ensure that you are protected no matter the cost,” he explained.
“Magnar wants that for me too,” I said softly.
Ivar reached for me, exposing my mark. He didn’t touch it directly, and I was grateful for that small mercy.
“This is a parting gift between you and me. When I walk away tonight, I will be leaving the city for good,” he continued.
“Where will you go?”
“Into the wilds. I am being sent to gather our allies for the war to come,” he answered.
I sighed softly. Such a mission would be extremely perilous. Some of the places in the wilds were savage, led by battle-hardened warriors and long-abandoned cities of the ancients. Some of them were occupied. Others weren’t.
It would be very dangerous for him.
“Are you to go alone?”
“I am,” he replied.
“May the Brotherhood keep you safe,” I said, my words hardly audible. They were treacherous to say, especially here and I couldn’t risk anyone overhearing me.
“Our allies run deep
. You don’t need to worry about me,” he replied confidently. I knew he was right, but I would think about him all the same. “See to it that you use the gift wisely.”
I smiled.
“I will make sure that I do,” I answered just as assuredly. I reached for his hand once and squeezed it tight before letting go.
“I know you will. I would expect only the best from the Ghost’s daughter,” he smirked.
I sucked in a breath. That was extremely well-guarded information. No one knew that small detail aside from my father’s closest allies.
“He made you a sage,” I gasped.
He didn’t answer me, but he didn’t have to. I knew at once that I was right.
“I must make my way out of the city before the sun rises,” he said.
“I wish you the protection of the gods,” I murmured. “May Oslin look upon you in favor.”
He simply pulled up his hood and disappeared into the shadows of the night like a ghost. If I didn’t hold the goblet in my hands, I would have thought that I’d imagined the whole thing.
The next several days passed by in a blur. Before I knew it, it was time for the massive dinner celebration to commemorate the union between Kingsworth and Daneridge. That afternoon, a number of servants arrived to dress me in an extravagant gown comprised of delicate pale silver lace. I was laced up in a soft blue leather corset that covered my torso and pushed my breasts up to a rather salacious height.
When they finished, Magnar walked in dressed in his finest battle leathers. He sucked in a breath when he saw me.
“You look beautiful, sigma,” he whispered, dragging his eyes up and down my body with more than obvious appreciation. I did the same and he smirked knowingly. We both missed each other and when we finally stole away for a few hours of our own, it was going to be fire.
“Thank you, Alpha,” I whispered.
Tonight, I would serve wine to the king’s table. I’d be able to get close to every member of power here in the castle, and I would be able to look for the Acolyte in much closer proximity than I had so far. I handed Magnar the bag with the goblet.
I’d already filled the hidden chamber with the poison I’d stolen from Neegan’s study. It was ready to be served to the man who had tried to tear us apart, whoever he turned out to be.
He tied the bag to his belt and took my arm in his. Together, we left his chambers and descended into the castle. We walked down the familiar halls and finally entered the massive room where Magnar had been crowned not so long ago.
The tables were full of the city’s people. The rich and the noble sat at those tables and up on the raised platform was Magnar’s royal advisory team. I recognized some of the faces, including Neegan, the master of coin, the commander of the Kingsworth army, as well as a number of others who played lesser roles.
Magnar climbed the stage and I followed with him. I felt the eyes of the audience on my back and I was keenly aware of the fact that the dress I’d been given put my mark on full display. The gown made a statement and Magnar had been the one to choose it.
I liked that.
He took his place at the center of the king’s table and I followed. A woman handed me a pitcher of wine and I started to pour for the table. I began with Magnar and Erik, ensuring that their glasses were full before I moved on to the others.
I took some time to study Erik’s hands. His hands were smooth and unscarred. He didn’t have the mark I was looking for. As I shuffled down the line, I didn’t see anything that was particularly heartening. Before long, I’d made my way to Neegan. The cuff of his sleeve was ruffled and extended a bit too far down for me to see where the scar would be. Not wanting to appear suspicious, I poured his wine and moved on.
I watched in silence as the table talked amongst themselves and then Magnar stood up before his people.
The room quieted in a hush.
“We gather today to welcome Erik the Undefeated and the King of Daneridge into our halls. It is with this day that I bring you news of the highest honor,” he began.
A glimmer of excitement passed over the room and gleeful mutterings chattered through the crowd before they quieted once again.
“Kingsworth and Daneridge have come to an accord upon the eve of the Second Great War. With their defenses and ours combined, we will stand strong against our enemies and survive their onslaught, whatever it may be that they throw at us,” he continued.
Neegan stood up beside him. I narrowed my gaze, unwilling to look away as the man turned around and a few servants rushed to his side. They rushed to pass him a wooden chest and he took it in his arms. He turned in Erik’s direction and took a step.
His foot caught on one of the servant’s boots and he tripped. He caught himself and took several steps.
Then he limped.
Exactly the way the Acolyte had.
He recovered quickly, but I’d seen it anyway. It must have taken a lot of practice to cover something up like that. I narrowed my eyes as he walked normally to stand behind Erik’s seat. He bowed his head, feigning respect for the visiting king.
I already knew he had brown eyes.
I just needed to see his hand. It was the last piece of evidence that would confirm my suspicions and convince me enough to be willing to commit murder.
Magnar kept speaking but I was too engrossed in trying to see Neegan’s hand in order to listen to what he was saying. My alpha opened the crate and on the cushion inside it was a crown that was designed in a similar fashion to Magnar’s own.
Magnar held up his hand and the audience went quiet.
“My omega will be the one to give Erik this gift. Not only do I trust him with my city, but I trust in him as an alpha to be granted the right to be near my mate,” he declared.
I’d expected this, so I moved closer and took the golden crown into my fingers. I lifted it and placed it on top of the blond curls of Erik’s head as I stood behind him. He didn’t look back to face me and I didn’t care to study him any further. I was far more interested in Neegan.
The crowd started to roar with excitement.
Neegan closed the crate and passed it to me, before he gestured to me to get rid of it.
I took it and moved to go where I was bidden, but I had to know if his hand was scarred too. Purposefully, I caught the toe of my sandal just beneath his leather boot, tripping just as he had done. With a growl, he rushed to grab my wrist with his right hand.
The cuff of his sleeve flipped up, revealing exactly what I had wanted to see.
The scar. It was there on his right hand.
I sucked in a breath before I remembered myself.
“Thank you, Neegan,” I whispered.
He pressed a small vial into my palm, leaning close enough to brush his lips against my ear as he lifted me back up to my feet. I swallowed a shudder of revulsion.
“You passed the test. Use this to do what needs to be done. Do it tonight when he takes you to his bed,” he whispered.
“I pleased the people you answer to,” I breathed quietly. The roaring sound of the audience drowned out every word I said, but he heard me anyway.
“You did. Now take care of him and earn your freedom,” he snarled.
“I will,” I smirked, and his brown eyes flashed.
Fucking bastard. He had no clue what I was about to do.
“Good,” he declared before his hand disappeared from mine. His fingers felt like a brand on my wrist and I took a fraction of a second to gather myself before I walked off. Magnar needed to know what I knew. I moved closer to him, watching his wineglass and seeing that he had drunk a good deal of it. The servants came and took the empty wooden crate then and I reached for the pitcher of wine once more.
I topped off my alpha’s glass, making a show of the pour and I leaned down so that my lips were close enough that he could hear me whisper a single word.
“Neegan.”
He stiffened and he pushed back against the table, standing up once more.
He knew what needed to be done now.
We both did.
He cleared his throat and looked on expectantly, waiting for the crowd’s roar to die down to a manageable level so that he could speak.
“This union came together today because of the people here seated here with me,” he started, and a hush fell over the room.
“Beside me is a group of men that have advised and guided me into this alliance, but there is one man in particular that helped to secure Kingsworth’s new position in this tumultuous time,” he continued.
I looked out into the audience, seeing a multitude of curious faces.
“I want you all to give a round of applause for the hand of the king. Neegan has been a loyal advisor for me for a great number of years and I want him to receive the recognition that he so richly deserves,” he added, and I almost choked.
Those in the Great Hall started to cheer, just like their king had asked for. Magnar held up his hand and beckoned for Neegan to join him. The crowd quieted down once more as they waited for what would come next.
“I have a gift for you as well, my friend,” Magnar exclaimed and he untied the leather satchel from his belt. Carefully, he opened the bag and reached inside to grasp the golden goblet. I noticed that his fingers had carefully avoided the red jewel.
I smiled politely.
Neegan strode over to join him. He didn’t limp this time.
Magnar handed the jewel-encrusted cup to him and Neegan took it. He grasped the stem and admired it for several long moments. Magnar took his own silver goblet into his fingers and lifted it to his lips. He took several long swallows before he beckoned me over to him. I moved closer so that I stood by his side.
“It would bring me great honor to raise a glass of wine with you, my friend,” he declared and Neegan’s grin widened. I already had the pitcher of wine in my hands and smiled obediently, topping off Magnar’s chalice first. He took it back and I took Neegan’s gifted goblet into my fingers. I poured the wine as I clutched at the top, using my forefinger to push down on the round red jewel until I felt it click.
